NAN Mourns Gabriel Echum

The Nishnawbe Aski Nation is mourning the loss of Long Lake First Nation Councillor Gabriel Echum.  Gabriel was the husband of the band's Chief Celia Echum.  He passed away suddenly Monday morning.

Another Specialist Shortage At TBRHSC

The search is on for more pathologists at the Health Science's Centre.   A hospital official confirms a report that there is a shortage of four pathologists at the facility and that only one replacement has been found so far with another on the way next month.  Its forcing some lab testing to be sent outside the city.

Small Fire At Villa St. Home

Careless smoking appears to be the cause of a small fire on Villa Street this afternoon.  Thunder Bay Fire Investigators are being called in to look into the exact cause.  A fire official says it looks like a cigarette was discarded in the home's basement.

Ribfest Another Hit

After another successful Ribfest a north side business official is hoping the momentum can live on.  Jim Comuzzi of the Waterfront Business Improvement Association believes it has the potential to become a part of the north downtown culture, like the street fair in Westfort or the annual fair in Murillo.  Comuzzi estimates there were upwards of 27 thousand people who attended the weekend festival that focused on the eating of barbecued ribs.

Prisoner Still On The Lam

 Police in northwestern Ontario are continuing the search for a prisoner who escaped from custody a week ago. They say 53 year old Harvey Smith of the White Dog First Nation escaped custody while being moved from the Kenora Court House.   Smith is now charged with escaping from custody and an arrest warrant has been issued for him.

Moving To Montana Soon

Widespread rain on Saturday has helped put a damper on the forest fire situation in northwestern Ontario. That has allowed the Ministry of Natural Resources to lend a helping hand to crews in Montana. A total of 109 staff from across the province are expected to spend 19-days in Montana battling wildfires. A large group left the Dryden Regional Airport this morning. The forest fire hazard is low across the northwest region, with 20-active fires burning.

Collisions Blamed On Alcohol

A couple of weekend traffic mishaps are being attributed to too much alcohol.    Police say one was between a car and a minivan at Fort William Road and Main Street on Saturday.   The drivers of both vehicles were hurt but not seriously. The car driver is charged with drunk driving and for possession of marijuana.   Then in the early hours of yesterday a pick up truck smashed into a hydro pole in Oliver Paipoonge.  Only minor injuries for both the occupants and the twenty year old driver is charged.

TSN Broadcasts From NWO

It was a live broadcast of TSN Sportscentre that drew many to the Marina. In an address to the crowd, co-anchor Darren Dutchyshyn expressed his amazement of the town's beauty. During the show, co-anchor Jennifer Hedger remarked about the weather, admitting she made a series miscalculation in expecting much cooler weather.  The show included a feature on the 1952 Canadians Allan Cup winning team, a top ten centered around former resident and NHLer Duncan Keith, and a few notes about Fort Frances as a community. International Falls was also mentioned for being the backdrop  for "Frostbite Falls" in the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.

Pet Issue Coming Back

City councillor Aldo Roberto isn't giving up just yet on reviving his request for a limit on the number of pets you can own. The issue comes up for a vote again at City Council tonight .   Two weeks ago the proposal was shot down by Ruberto's fellow councillors, but comes up for a confirming second vote this evening.

Grassy Narrows Says No More Logging

The Grassy Narrows First Nations says its still waiting to hear from the provincial government about its demand not to issue any more logging permits for the Whiskey Jack Forest. A number of human rights, environmental and labor groups wrote a letter back in June, but say they still haven't heard back from Premier Kathleen Wynne. There has been a blockade at Grassy preventing any new logging activity for the past 10 years, but the community is looking for a commitment from the province to respect their wishes.

Van Danger

Rainy River OPP are warning parents about a report of a man driving a brown mini-van approaching young girls and asking them to come into the van. In the Atikokan situation the girls went inside their home and told their parent. Since that report, police have learned of a Facebook post that alerts the public of the incident but has made reference to a similar incident occurring in Thunder Bay. OPP can confirm that similar incidents have not been reported to either Thunder Bay Police Force.

Beyak Stands Behind Senate

Despite the scandals facing the Senate, Dryden's Lynn Beyak is standing behind it. Beyak was appointed to the Senate in January, and says she loves being a part of it. In regards to the prorogation of Parliament, which has yet to be confirmed, Beyak says it allows them to look at legislation which is currently on the books and make the right decision.

Running Event A Hit

The first annual Run Or Dye charity fun run is in the books. Hundreds of runners turned out at Boulevard Lake yesterday to take part and raise money for the Children's Centre Foundation.  The run gets its name from the powdered dye that gets dumped on participants prior to the run.

Ranger Program Wanted Back

Former members of the province's Ontario Ranger program will gather tomorrow as part of a lobby effort to bring back the program. The province axed its camps last fall.Spokesperson Emily Kerton says a rally today in Huntsville is being held to generate more public support. Kerton says they'll hoping to gain a meeting with government to discuss ways of bringing back the program.

CBSA Seizes Firearms

Canada Border Service Agents are reporting the seizure of six firearms at the Pigeon River and Fort Frances Border crossings.  The CBSA picked up four loaded handguns, two cannisters of pepper spray, a .38 semi-automatic and a loaded .38 revolver in three separate seizures last week.  The Americans were fined and charged.

Head On Collision Charges Pending

OPP are investigating the cause of a head-on collision between two vehicles on Highway 17 on Wednesday.  The accident happened in a construction zone 17 kilometres east of Terrace Bay.  The highway was closed for two hours and a man was sent to Thunder Bay hospital for treatment of his injuries.  Charges are pending.

TCP To Speak To Council

TransCanada Pipelines is going to speak to City Council on Monday about their proposed Energy East Pipeline project.  The project that is meant to bring Alberta's crude oil to the east coast doesn't directly go through the City but they still feel they should consult the community.  TransCanada Pipelines will also be holding an open house for area residents in September.

Chatty Drivers Caught

City Police teamed up with CN & CP Rail Police to spot chatty drivers using their cellphones while behind the wheel.  The rail police dressed as maintenance workers were posted at one end of the bridge while the uniformed officers were at the other to hand out tickets.  Six cell phone tickets, twelve seat belt infractions and a variety of other charges totaling 37 tickets were handed out in a three hour blitz yesterday.

Changes For Local Hair Salon Space?

The City is going to be clearing up some property and planning issues at it's Monday night meeting.  Staff are recommending changing a hair salon on the east side of Junot Avenue South into an apartment.  The building already houses two apartments with a parking area.

T.Bay Inflation Rate Up

Thunder Bay's inflation rate is on the rise.  Statistics Canada is reporting the City saw it jump from 1.2 percent in June to 1.6 percent in July.  Meanwhile, the national inflation rate edged up one-tenth of a point to 1.3 percent last month.